photo courtesy of LAPD/ Fernandez was convicted of battery and willful cruelty to a child in 2008.

Los Angeles Police Department detectives arrested Jorge Fernandez on March 5 on a charge of Lewd Acts with a Child, and his bail was set at $100,000. The LAPD has also released a photo of Fernandez.

“We believe the case we are investigating may be just one of several other crimes against children,” said Lt. Paul Vernon, commanding officer of the Central Detective Division.  “Fernandez was arrested for a similar act in 2008, and pled guilty to battery and willful cruelty to a child.”

Last January, a mother and her daughter flew from three states away into California to report the crime against Fernandez.  Three years prior, the mother enrolled her 10-year-old daughter in a Mexican civic program, run by Jorge Fernandez.

After meeting the young girl, Fernandez and his wife invited the 10-year-old to stay overnight at their downtown residence, so the girl could play with Fernandez’s young daughter.  According to the victim, now 13, Fernandez fondled the girl on three occasions over the next several months.  The victim only recently revealed this information during counseling sessions at her new home, out of state.

“The mother and daughter felt compelled to come all this way to make this report,” Vernon said.  “Given the prior similar acts and conviction, as well as Fernandez’s apparent frequent contact with children, we thought it prudent to release his photograph to help identify other victims.”

Fernandez is a self-described Hispanic community organizer, involved in the local, annual Mexican Independence Day parade in Huntington Park.  He promotes a self-help improvement service for Hispanics and has been affiliated with the Comte Mexicano Civico Patriotico in Huntington Park, as well as the Federation de Mexico Unidos, once located on Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles.

“Much of Fernandez’s organizing efforts dealt with recruiting young children into his civic programs, and that sent up a big flag for us,” Vernon said.

Anyone with information on this case should call Detective Reynaldo Martinez, Central Detectives, at (213)972-1230.